Ok last winter i was thinking about doing a wood stove because i have a woodshop that makes lots of kiln dried oak scraps, and my house is 100% electric and very expensive to heat. this winter i made it a reality. Made a hearth, covered the hearth and walls with tile ( my first time tiling) and installed a englander 30NC this is my 5th day of no electric heat. So far i love the stove, im getting 8-12 hour burns and im warm so im happy. One thing i used some black pipe dope to seal where the black pipe connects inside the house, and most of it has dried up and cracked off leaving me a bit worried about carbon monoxide. perhaps i should have let the putty sit overnight?